Concrete Compaction System with Feedback on Compaction State

Abstract

A concrete compaction system includes an unbalance exciter for concrete compaction, a compaction detection device for detecting progress of the compaction in the concrete, and a vibration device for generating a haptic feedback when a prescribed progress of the compaction has been detected by the compaction detection device. An electric motor may drive the unbalance exciter and may be powered by an electric power supply and a converter device for converting an electric current from the electric power supply to a drive current for the electric motor. The compaction detection device may comprise a measurement device for measuring the current drawn from the electric motor. The compaction detection device may also comprise an evaluation device for evaluating the current drawn measured by the measurement device, for determining therefrom the progress of the compaction in the concrete, and for detecting whether a prescribed progress of the compaction has been achieved.

Claims

1. A concrete compaction system, comprising: an unbalance exciter that is configured to compact concrete; a compaction detection device that is configured to detect progress of the compaction of the concrete; and a vibration device that is configured to generate a haptic feedback upon detection of a prescribed progress of the compaction by the compaction detection device.

2. The concrete compaction system according to claim 1, further comprising an electric motor that is configured to drive the unbalance exciter; an electric power supply; and a converter device that is configured to convert an electric current that is drawn from the electric power supply to a drive current for the electric motor; wherein the compaction detection device comprises a measurement device that is configured to measure the current drawn from the electric motor; and wherein the compaction detection device comprises an evaluation device that is configured to 1) evaluate the current draw measured by the measurement device, 2) to determine therefrom a progress of the compaction of the concrete, and 3) to detect whether a prescribed progress of the compaction has been reached.

3. The concrete compaction system according to claim 1, wherein the unbalance exciter is arranged in a housing; and wherein an operating hose is fastened to the housing, for guiding the housing by an operator.

4. The concrete compaction system according to claim 1, wherein the electrical power supply comprises an electrical energy storage device.

5. The concrete compaction system according to claim 4, wherein the electrical energy storage device and the converter device are arranged on a supporting device; and wherein the supporting device comprises at least one strap that is configured to permit carrying of the supporting device by a user.

6. The concrete compaction system according to claim 1, wherein the vibration device is configured to implement at least one of the following features: a variation of a speed of the electric motor; a brief change of a rotational frequency of the electric motor followed by a return to a previous rotational frequency; a reduction of the rotational frequency of the electric motor to zero; an abrupt change of the rotational frequency of the electric motor; a change of a direction of rotation of the electric motor; multiple changes in the direction of rotation of the electric motor; generation of a vibration that is perceptible by the operator during operation of the concrete compaction system; generation of a vibration at the supporting device; generation of a vibration at the energy storage device; generation of a vibration at the converter device; generation of a vibration at the operating hose; and generation of a vibration at the switching device.

7. The concrete compaction system according to claim 1, wherein the measurement device is coupled to the energy storage device or to the converter device to measure the current.

8. The concrete compaction system according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation device is arranged in a mobile device that is spatially separated from the energy storage device and from the converter device.

9. The concrete compaction system according to claim 1, wherein a data transmission is provided between the measurement device and the evaluation device, for back and forth transmission of data between the measurement device and the evaluation device.

10. A method for concrete compaction, comprising: immersing an unbalance exciter into the concrete to be compacted; compacting the concrete by actuating the unbalance exciter; monitoring the progress of the compaction; generating a haptic feedback for an operator upon detection of achievement of a prescribed progress of the compaction.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the imbalance exciter is driven by an electric motor, and wherein the monitoring comprises evaluating a measured current draw of the electric motor, determine therefrom a progress of the compaction in the concrete, and detecting whether a prescribed progress of the compaction has been reached.

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising at least one of: varying a speed of the electric motor; briefly changing a rotational frequency of the electric motor followed by a return to a previous rotational frequency; reducing the rotational frequency of the electric motor to zero; abruptly changing the rotational frequency of the electric motor; changing a direction of rotation of the electric motor; changing the direction of rotation of the electric motor multiple times; generating a vibration that is perceptible by the operator during operation of the concrete compaction system; generating a vibration at the supporting device; generating a vibration at the energy storage device; generating a vibration at the converter device; generating a vibration at the operating hose; and generating a vibration at the switching device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0051] These and other advantages and features are elucidated with the aid of the FIGURE in more detail below by means of an example. Wherein:

[0052] FIG. 1 shows a concrete compaction system according to the invention in schematic representation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a concrete compaction system with an internal vibrator 1 and a portable energy device 2.

[0054] The internal vibrator 1 comprises an operating hose 3, at the one end of which a vibrator head 4 serving as a housing is attached. On the inside the vibrator head 4 is an electric motor 5 which drives an unbalance exciter 6 in rotation. The unbalance exciter 6 can be, for example, an unbalance shaft on which an unbalance mass is eccentrically mounted so that, when the unbalance shaft rotates, oscillations are generated which are introduced into the concrete to be compacted via the outer housing wall of the vibrator head 4. The assembly of such a vibrator head 4 with electric motor 5 and unbalance exciter 6 is known per se.

[0055] The operating hose 3 can comprise a length of several meters, so that the operator can also suspend the vibrator head 4, over a greater distance, in the concrete to be compacted during the compaction work. FIG. 1 is, moreover, not to scale and does not reflect the actual length of the operating hose 3.

[0056] A switching device 7 is attached to the end of the operating hose 3 opposite the vibrator head 4, via which switching device the electric motor 5 can be switched on and off. The switching device 7 can also serve as a connection point for a power line 8 (power cable). The electrical leads of the power line 8 are routed inside the operating hose 3 to the vibrator head 4, so that the operating hose 3 also takes on the function of a protective tubing.

[0057] At the end of the power line 8 opposite the switching device 7, a plug not shown in FIG. 1 may be provided in a manner known per se.

[0058] The plug may be plugged into the power device 2.

[0059] In the example shown in FIG. 1, essential parts of the power device 2 are arranged on a supporting device 9, which can be carried by a user, for example, on their back, by means of carrying straps 10, in a manner similar to a backpack. In this, the supporting device 9 can comprise a carrying frame that reliably bears the components attached to it. This is also described, for example, in DE 10 2018 118 552 A1 and US20200044206A1.

[0060] A rechargeable battery 11 is fastened to the supporting device 9 as an electrical energy storage device. The rechargeable battery 11 represents a central part of the energy device 2 and can be exchangeable and when exhausted, switched out with a fresh rechargeable battery 11.

[0061] Instead of the rechargeable battery 11, it is also possible to provide an electrical supply via the public power grid or a power network existing at the construction site.

[0062] Furthermore, the supporting device 9 bears a converter 12 which, in particular, converts the current drawn from the rechargeable battery 11, in terms of voltage and frequency, in a manner suitable for the electric motor 5. This converted current is then supplied by the converter 12 to the electric motor 5 via the power line 8.

[0063] Symbolically, a measurement device 13 and a vibration device 14 are also arranged on the supporting device 9. The measurement device 13 and the vibration device 14 do not need to be arranged as physically separate components on the supporting device 9. Rather, they can also be arranged in the rechargeable battery 11 or alternatively in the battery management system of the rechargeable battery 11 or also in the converter 12 or also elsewhere.

[0064] A mobile device 15, for example, a smart phone or a tablet, is provided in spatially separated manner, in which mobile device an evaluation device 16 can be provided. The measurement device 13 and the evaluation device 16 together form a compaction detection device. In particular, the evaluation device 16 may be installed as a program or alternatively as an app on the mobile device 15.

[0065] A transmitting and receiving device 17 is provided on the rechargeable battery 11 for coupling the mobile device 15 with the energy device 2. A data transmission 18 to the mobile device 15 and in particular to the evaluation device 16 can be achieved with the aid of the transmitting and receiving device 17.

[0066] The measurement device 13 and the evaluation device 16 together form a compaction detection device for detecting progress of the compaction in the concrete. The measurement device 13 is thus able to monitor the consumption of current of the electric motor 5 during compaction operation. Since modern rechargeable battery systems often comprise a battery management system that very precisely documents the consumption of current, the measurement device 13 can accordingly also be integrated in the rechargeable battery 11 or use the battery management system there. The resulting data is transmitted via data transmission 18, for example, a radio link (Bluetooth), to the mobile device 15 and there to the evaluation device 16. The mobile device 15 provides sufficient computational capacity to allow the evaluation device 16 to perform the necessary calculations. By way of example, the evaluation device 16 can be installed as an app on the mobile device 15 and perform the calculations.

[0067] When the evaluation device 16 detects that the progress of the compaction is satisfactory and a prescribed degree of compaction has been achieved, the evaluation device 16 then sends a signal to the vibration device 14. The vibration device 14 is capable of generating a suitable haptic feedback signal that can be haptically perceived by the operator of the internal vibrator. The vibration device 14, likewise, need not be a physically separate component, but rather may be integrated into the other components, in particular, for example, into the converter 12 or alternatively into a control system of the converter 12 that is not shown. It serves only the functional task of generating the haptic feedback signal.

[0068] For this purpose, the signal from the evaluation device 16 about the achievement of the prescribed progress of the compaction can be received by the transmitting and receiving device 17 on the rechargeable battery 11 and forwarded to the converter 12, which then increases or reduces the rotational frequency of the electric motor 5. The increase or decrease of the rotational frequency can be done abruptly or continuously or combined with variable time intervals to inform the user about the progress of the compression. For example, it is possible to generate Morse code-like signals by changing the rotational frequency to inform the operator about the progress of the compression.

[0069] The change in engine rotational frequency leads to a change in the oscillation frequency of the internal vibrator 1. Since the operator guides the internal vibrator 1 on the operating hose 3 or on the switching device 7 by hand, the change in oscillation frequency is directly perceived as a vibration and can then be interpreted accordingly by the operator.

[0070] If the system detects that no further compaction is possible or useful at the current position of the internal vibrator 1 or of the vibrator head 4, a repeating pattern of fluctuating frequencies can be set to signal to the operator that the internal vibrator 1 should be used at a different position. The operator can thereinafter move the vibrator head 4 to an area of still uncompacted concrete using the operating hose 3.

[0071] In one variant, the vibration device 14 can, irrespective of a change in engine speed, also generate an independent oscillation similar to the vibrate alarm on a smartphone. For this purpose, the vibration device 14 can activate a small unbalance exciter (not shown), which is provided, for example, on the supporting device 9 or even on the switching device 7, so that the operator can feel the vibration with their back or their hands.

[0072] The mobile device 15 is not mandatorily necessary. It is likewise possible to also integrate the evaluation device 16 into the energy device 2, for example, into the battery management system of the rechargeable battery 11, if sufficient computational capacities are available there.

[0073] The rechargeable battery 11 can be configured in such a way that it can communicate with the connected converter 12 as well as with the mobile device 15. The necessary measuring devices can be integrated in the rechargeable battery 11 in order to sample the electrical power consumption with sufficient accuracy.

[0074] The communication between the rechargeable battery 11 or alternatively the transceiver 17 of the rechargeable battery 11 on the one hand and the mobile device 15 on the other hand is bidirectional, so that the results of the calculations or signals based thereon can be reported back from the external mobile device 15 to the rechargeable battery 11 or also to the converter 12 connected thereto.

[0075] As a result, the concrete compaction system is able to tangibly signal to the user that sufficient compaction has been achieved at the current position of the internal vibrator 1 or alternatively of the vibrator head 4. As a result, the compaction process can be carried out efficiently.